Unigel signs up with Thyssenkrupp Nucera for green hydrogen plant in Brazil

Unigel to construct the first green hydrogen plant in Brazil with an initial investment of US$ 120 million (R$ 650 million, at the current price).

The plant should start operating by the end of 2023.  Unigel’s integrated green hydrogen and green ammonia project should be the largest in the world. Unigel relies on the world’s leading technology for high-efficiency electrolysis from Thyssenkrupp Nucera, Germany.

Located in the Camaçari Industrial Complex (BA), the new factory, in its first phase, will have a production capacity of 10 thousand tons/year of green hydrogen and 60 thousand tons/year of green ammonia. In the second phase of the project, scheduled to go into operation by 2025, the Company is expected to quadruple the production of green hydrogen and ammonia.

The production of green hydrogen and ammonia is already an offshoot of other actions that Unigel has taken, such as the partnership for the production of wind energy, worth more than R$ 1 billion, with Casa dos Ventos, one of the largest generation companies of energy from renewable sources in the country.

The products will be offered to customers who find green hydrogen and green ammonia an important solution to their decarbonisation challenges. Among the applications are the use of hydrogen as a raw material in the steel industry and in oil refining, and also as a fuel for various vehicles, in addition to the use of ammonia by bulk carriers and container ships, replacing fossil fuels.

In addition to using ammonia as raw material, Unigel became a producer of this input last year after opening two fertiliser factories that gave rise to Unigel Agro. In addition, the company operates one of the only two ammonia terminals in Brazil, located in the port of Aratu, in the state of Bahia.

Henri Slezynger, founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of Unigel, said, “With this project, Unigel takes another important step towards the decarbonisation of various sectors, contributing substantially to combating climate change on the planet.”

Roberto Noronha Santos, CEO of Unigel, said, “Unigel is focused on investments that allow the decarbonisation of its operations and also contributing with solutions for the industry.”

Paulo Alvarenga, Thyssenkrupp CEO for South America, said, “The Unigel project is the first of its kind in Brazil and reinforces the pioneering spirit and entrepreneurship of this one of the largest chemical companies in the country.”